Chapter VII - Death Us Do Part:
Siegfriedhof / Abbey of Blessed Aethelbert
Following the Abbot's introductory speech about Undead being everywhere, he introduces himself properly: Darius Geistwächt, Grand Abbot of Blessed Aethelbert.
The PC's tell him very little, though they do let on that they need to see the Tomb of Linfanchi, and that they are hunting vampires. Darius allows them to stay in the Abbey, so long as they:
- Don't mention certain small furry creatures - the abbey is full of cats for a reason! Daius cannot even stand the mention of these long tailed things!
- Succeed at their tasks - which mainly involve feeding cats
- Stay on good terms with all the Priests.
Over the next three days, the PC's discover a Skaven plot to take over the Abbey, and they snoop around the Abbey a lot, finding information hidden in a secret library, which enables them to gain entrance to the Tomb of Linfranchi to find a missing Panel of the Triptych.
They befriend the cats (apart from Mormocar and Gregor, that is) and destroy the skaven - there isn't much else to report other than the things they found - so I shall just post the handouts and maps!
In the main library, there is only one book about Vampires - inside that book ("Vampire Ballads") is this handwritten note:
In the Secret Library (which they eventually found), were
Four of Lanfranchi’s vellum Zandri Scrolls, bound together with string. A folded piece of parchment is tucked into the package.
Five Styrigen Tablets with parchment pinned underneath one of them
A pitted, lead-lined box rests on a stone pedestal. If the PCs open the lid, a foul-smelling green smoke issues forth from inside it. Looking in the box, PCs discover a rat skull set into an iron chain. The Foul Pendant is the source of the green smoke and is kept in a lead box because it contains Warpstone. The Foul Pendant confers 2 armour points to every hit location, in addition to normal armour. The Abbot later confirms that Shroud Agents captured the Amulet from a fallen Skaven champion during a battle. Konrad craftily his it in Linfranchi's tomb, and when he found out what it did, he retrieved it...
The Styrigen Tablets allow the PC's to enter the Tombs - along with the clues they had found opening the puzzle box, and Grondi's Dwarven understanding of Runes.
The PCs went to the burial mound at the entrance to the tomb where a circle of five stone obelisks surrounds the mound, culminating at a great megalith portal on the south-eastern face. The megalith is inscribed with runes matching those on the Styrigen Tablets in the abbey’s forbidden library.
Replacing the Styrigen Tablets in the correct sequence atop the cairn allows the Portal to open:
The blood pattern -
and the Miragliano Puzzle Box may provide clues to discovering the correct sequence,which is:
Man, Blood, Earth, Life, and Mother.
Solving this also has some magical effect, which Mormocar could feel but not identify... but it allowed them entry finally to Linfranchi's Tomb. It also gave them 1000XP and 2 Fate Points each - double the XP for the one who solved it: Konrad.
When the PCs first see Lanfranchis’ tomb, they instantly recognise it from their dream of rats coming out of a sarcophagus. They got together and opened the lid. Within the sarcophagus is Lanfranchi’s armoured skeleton. Lanfranchi’s folded hands clutch the magical spear Donnacanto alongside the central panel of his famous triptych.
Mormocar steals the spear.
Magic Item - Donnacanto
This weapon is a heavy spear with a rowan wood shaft fitted with a brilliant silver head. It functions as a demilance.
Magic Powers:
When the wielder charges, Donnacanto sings like a divine choir, allowing allies within earshot to re-roll previously failed Fear Tests. This re-roll - and all subsequent Fear Tests - are made at +10 as long as Donnacanto can be heard. The spear continues singing until combat ends.
History:
According to legend, the voice of Myrmidia is channelled through Donnacanto.
Finally, after the PC's help defeat the Skaven, the Abbot gives the the following information:
The Fellowship of the Shroud exists as a order at the Abbey - The Black Knights and Raven Knights believe the Undead threat must be eliminated at all costs. The ranks of the Fellowship include spies, witch hunters, and scholars, though a few priests are also members.
The Abbot says that he would very much like to study the young Scion of Nagash who was kidnapped from Talabheim. Furthermore, Geistwächt produces a letter from his desk and gravely appeals for the PCs to confirm Lydia’s activities before he unleashes the Raven Knights on Helfurt.
If Lydia is found to be a Vampire, she must be destroyed and her stolen Zandri Scrolls returned to the Order of Morr.
To thank the PC's for their help, Geistwächt gives them each gifts to help them advance in their careers. We ended the session with everyone advancing... they are going to need those advances!
Next stop: Helfurt...
No comments:
Post a Comment